


Uncomfortable Comforts

by Rulerofyouall



Category: Batman (Comics), Batman - All Media Types
Genre: Angst, Bad Parent Willis Todd, Bruce Wayne is Batman, Bruce Wayne is a Good Parent, Father-Son Relationship, Fatherhood, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Gen, Jason Todd Deserves Better, Jason Todd Has Issues, Jason Todd Needs A Hug, Jason Todd is Robin, Jason Todd-centric, Jason-centric, Malnutrition, Past Abuse, Past Child Abuse, Past Domestic Violence, Past Violence, Protective Bruce Wayne, Sleep Deprivation
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-29
Updated: 2021-01-29
Packaged: 2021-03-17 08:15:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,395
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28845942
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rulerofyouall/pseuds/Rulerofyouall
Summary: Bruce has adopted Jason, but Jason doesn't seem comfortable in Wayne Manor.
Relationships: Jason Todd & Bruce Wayne
Comments: 2
Kudos: 161





	Uncomfortable Comforts

**Author's Note:**

> I own nothing!

To say that Bruce was concerned was an understatement. He had been Jason's father for months and months now, almost an entire year, but his son always seemed shifty around him. If it was on patrol, he would call it suspicious behavior and start tailing him, but this was _Jason_. There must be some reason why he was acting weird, why he seemed to be hiding something. He was really good at pretending everything was fine, but little passed by Bruce's eyes.

The boy seemed content at the moment. He was sitting at the table a few feet away from him, doing homework. His legs swung beneath the chair, kicking at nothing. He didn't look up once, but Bruce kept on observing him. Jason didn't seem bothered though. Either that or he hadn't noticed.

He checked the time. 9:45 pm.

"Okay, Jaylad." He sighed, standing up.

Bruce saw it there: the small flinch, the look of fear dancing across his face. He desperately wanted to punch his biological father in the face; he must have been the one to start this. Living on the streets couldn't have helped either.

"Yes, B?"

"It's late. Time to go to bed." He clapped his hands together but regretted it anyway as his new son flinched again at the sound of skin on skin content.

Jason swung his legs over and jumped off the chair. He was tiny, shorter than other kids his age, and he was thin too, much too thin. Bruce and Alfred had been trying to get him to eat more, but it didn't seem to have much of an effect.

Deep in thought, Bruce barely noticed the way that Jason scampered off. Normally, his son would have asked if they were going to go out as Batman and Robin, but he must have been spooked by something or the other. Though, it was a school night, so maybe Jason expected his request to be rejected.

Sighing, Bruce put his book down, noting that some more of his candle holders had seemingly gone missing. He knew that Jason had been moving things around, creating a hoard in his bedroom as if he was a dragon, but that wasn't what bothered him. Jason was only doing so because he expected to be kicked out at any time and wanted something he could pawn off for cash to support himself for a while. Even though Bruce had had them for almost a year, Jason still thought that he would snap and kick him out. He thought he was being sneaky while stealing items every now and then, but Bruce noticed.

He walked towards his bedroom, passing his son's room on the way. Upon reaching Jason's room, he paused and put his hand on the door knob. Jason knew that he loved him, right?

_No, he wouldn't think that you would kick him out if he did._

It was dark in the room, but there was movement. Frowning, Bruce flicked on the lights. Jason wasn't in bed. Instead, he was on the floor, rifling through a box of items he had picked up from around the manor. Even worse, his son was now looking at him with wide eyes as if he expected Bruce to _hit_ him.

"B..." Jason didn't cry often, but he looked close to doing so now. 

"Hey, chum." Bruce sat down next to him. "I thought you were going to sleep."

Jason stared guiltily down at his hoard, not looking up at the man he thought was about to hurt him. "I'm sorry..." He paused. "Are you going to get rid of me now?"

Bruce knew that his kid was going to ask that. "No, of course not."

"Why?" He finally met his gaze, his eyes equally watery and confused. "I...stole things from you."

He shrugged. "I knew you were doing it." Glancing in the box, he saw the candle stick holders, silverware, and more things that had gone missing, but he also saw something he hadn't expected: food. "I didn't know about the food though."

They were all preservatives that Jason could keep on him for months. He hadn't touched any of it, and it was clear he was keeping it for emergencies, for a time he wouldn't have access to any.

"I swear I am never going to get rid of you, Jason. You're _my_ son." Bruce promised.

"But...I've been stealing from you."

"You can have anything you want, but I want you to know that you don't need to collect these things." He responded.

He looked confused. "You're not mad at me?"

"No."

"Why not?"

"You haven't done anything for me to be mad at. I know why you think you need these things."

Jason shifted a little. "You don't understand everything."

"No, I don't." Bruce agreed. "But I know you are collecting them to make quick money if you need to. You're collecting food to prepare for a time when you don't have any."

"You can't tell me that you've never thought of getting rid of me." 

"I never have." He immediately reassured the boy.

"My other dad did." Jason admitted. "'Cause I'm really annoying and cost too much to keep."

Bruce wanted to get mad, to punch something, but he wouldn't do that around Jason. The child already thought that he would snap and either hit him or kick him out at a moment's notice.

"You're biological father was..." He trailed off, not wanting to upset his son.

Jason let out a small laugh. "He's a fucking piece of shit, that's what he is."

Bruce almost reprimanded him on his language, but he held his tongue. "He wasn't the best parent." He agreed.

His son hummed a bit, putting the lid back on the box that contained his hoard. "Are you sure you're not mad at me?"

"Yes, I'm sure." He paused. "Why don't you get to sleep now?"

Jason bit his lip, nodding. He turned away from the bed, walking towards the small closet in the corner. Bruce furrowed his brow a bit, confused, but he nevertheless watched as his son opened the closet door and moved to lay on the ground, curling up and reaching a hand out to shut the door behind him.

"Jaylad?"

He peaked his head out of his arms once more. "Yeah?"

"Why don't you sleep on your bed?"

"Oh." Jason fully sat up again. "I can't sleep on it."

Bruce patted his hand on it a few times, but nothing seemed to be wrong with it. "Why?"

"It's too soft." He explained shortly. "I can't fall asleep on it. I'm not used to it."

"If you sleep on it, you'll eventually get used to it." The older man replied.

Jason shrugged, looking guilty again. "I didn't see a point in getting used to it."

"Why not?"

"Because I thought you were going to kick me out!" He raised his voice a bit, but he immediately silenced himself afterwards.

Bruce hadn't put those pieces together. "I'm sorry I made you feel that way."

"It isn't your fault." He huffed. "If you're serious, we could destroy the adoption certificate."

"Why?"

"You can't return me without the receipt."

Bruce laughed. "Very well. We can do that after you get home from school tomorrow."

They were silent for a few moments.

He moved to the closet, crouching down next to Jason. "I don't feel good letting you sleep there."

"I've slept in many places shittier than this." Jason laid back down and turned away. "Please don't make me sleep there."

"I'm not going to make you do anything." Bruce replied. 

He calmed down considerably. "Oh, okay. Good."

"I will join you though."

Jason looked up, surprised, as Bruce too laid down on the floor. He wasn't in the closet anymore; he didn't fit in there even if he wanted to. His son slept in there because it was small and safe. There was only one entrance, so no one would be able to sneak up on him.

"You're not going to be able to sleep." He sounded concerned. "You're not used to it."

"As I said, I don't feel good letting you sleep on the floor." Bruce looked over to him. "So I'll sleep here too."

Jason cocked his head to the side. "You would do that?"

"Yes, Jaylad."

"...thank you."

"Good night, son."

**Author's Note:**

> Comments and suggestions are welcome and appreciated!


End file.
